Daily Courage

Circumstances we might not have chosen, led me and my family to Colorado several times this summer. The wonderful part about it is that we have all been able to spend time outdoors experiencing what a gift nature can be to deepening personal spirituality. I have chosen to look at it that way and accept that if weren’t for a little suffering we would not have had this glory. After a very mediocre hotel experience in Boulder the last time we visited, I was determined to find some charm. I found it at Chautauqua. I was intrigued by what I read online about it origins, so it was the lodging of choice.

Upon check-in, being my usual inquisitive self, I had  to devour every piece of printed material in the cottage before I did anything else. My husband unpacks and hangs his clothes upon arrival, I read and get the lay of the land. It’s become a predictable pattern over the years.

I recalled a little bit about Chautauqua in New York State from my days working with Victorian Homes magazine. But I needed a refresher course which is what I got from reading a book of its history in the room. The founding Chautauqua gave birth to a national movement in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Basically they were seasonal resorts where families would vacation and attend concerts, speeches, recitals, and other programs to further their cultural knowledge. Kind of like camping or cottaging with a purpose. The Colorado Chautauqua is one of the few surviving resorts from the period. It is beautiful, set right up against the Flatiron Mountains with miles and miles of hiking trails. I am a softie for any place with history, and this place has it. 

Saturday morning I set out with water bottle in hand determined to take a long walk to work the kinks and pains of too may hours on the computer out of my body. It was one of the most glorious outings of the summer. A warm breeze made it comfortable and the views were spectacular. I found a smooth flat rock outcrop and comfortably say and did some yoga in the warm sun.

It was one of those times you just wish you could freeze. I completely forgot why I was in town for the weekend. Even the camera on my phone was in the mood for soaking in the inspiration and appreciating the moment. When I downloaded the shots they looked as if the picture had been painted rather than shot with a Blackberry! It’s kind of like everyday life. Sometimes it just depends on the lens and how we look at things.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 11th, 2009 at 9:20 pm and is filed under General Courage. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.